Advantages of galvanized beds for greenhouses and vegetable gardens

What is the use of borders for beds

Neat beds in the garden are the price of long and hard work: digging up, removing weeds, watering, hilling, feeding. After hours in the sun, the joy of the harvest is not so bright. Can you spend less effort and get a better result? Yes! A “smart” vegetable garden or “warm” beds will greatly simplify maintenance and contribute to higher yields.

One of the features of this type of garden is the arrangement of the beds in frames. In order to save money, wooden structures are often used, but there are many supporters and metal fences. Properly selected and processed metal will last much longer than wood. However, not everyone can afford such an option in the country due to the possible material costs.

Frame boxes help to maintain the shape of the earth filling. In the case of warm beds, they prevent the destruction of organic layers of the mini-garden filler and access to them for small pests. And the fenced areas look neater. Also, such curbs can serve as a reliable basis for a greenhouse or greenhouse, which is much easier to build on their basis.

Pros and cons of galvanized metal fences

Wooden curbs seem to many to be safer than metal ones. However, this is not always the case. And galvanized fences do not have sharp edges at all, which makes them safe to use. Any galvanized fence can be additionally extended in width and length.

Variety of models

Many summer residents are familiar with the characteristics of the corrugated board. Galvanized railings are made from the same material. The following types of structures can be distinguished:

1. Regular. Made of sheet steel, silvery, reminiscent of an aluminum fence. For protection, only zinc plating is used (i.e. applying a zinc layer).
2. With additional protection. The degree of protection is increased due to the polymer coating. For the manufacture of the sides, sheet steel is used, which is coated with zinc and then with a polymer.
3. Polyurethane frames. They are made in the same way as structures with a polymer coating, but the polymer has been replaced by polyurethane. The base is galvanized steel, it can be of different colors.

Galvanizing protects the material from corrosion and negative external factors. But zinc can also be negatively affected by an acidic environment. It is to protect zinc from acid that additional polymer spraying is applied.

Video "Galvanized beds: from A to Z"

This video shows how to assemble a garden bed fence from galvanized profiles.

Ratings of the best beds

Special criteria will help to choose the optimal frame option, according to which the design is assessed: the thickness of the steel sheet and galvanized, the presence of additional spraying, the production technology, the level of installation.

By material quality

Steel sheet thickness is one of the most important quality criteria. The manufacturer offers models with a thickness of 0.35 to 1 mm. When choosing, you need to focus on the future location of the curb: sheets with a thickness of 0.5 mm are suitable for greenhouse frames, for external ones - from 0.7 mm.

The thickness of the zinc coating is also of great importance. The highest degree of protection is guaranteed by a coating from 25 microns (micrometers). A layer with a smaller thickness is easily amenable to mechanical stress.

It is possible to increase the degree of protection and service life with the help of polymer spraying, which protects galvanized steel from the negative effects of external factors (natural phenomena and human damage).

By design reliability

The factory production adheres to quality standards and manufactures structures according to a special technology: film coating, primer, powder coating and phosphating. That is why it is worth choosing factory designs that consist of high-quality elements, meet all assembly requirements and are developed taking into account the specifics of the subsequent installation.

The wrong size or fastening of parts is fraught with displacements and distortions of the borders. The optimal length of the pegs, which guarantee the stability of the structure, is 25 cm for greenhouses and greenhouses and 35–40 cm for open beds. With the size of the embankment - a height of more than 20 cm and a length of 2 m - the frame must additionally include jumpers between the parallel joints.

Increasing the strength and reliability of the structure is also possible due to the central stiffeners. They will not be needed for low greenhouse structures, but they are required on open beds.

Be careful not to mistake the side folds on the edge line of the profile for stiffeners.

Rating of beds with a polymer coating

Of course, a manufacturer in a competitive environment immediately responds to consumer requests. And today, many companies provide various types of polymer-coated structures. It is difficult to make the right choice, so we will present brief characteristics of the most popular companies according to consumer reviews:

1. Green Box. Sales leader.Relatively low cost, the ability to use in greenhouses and open spaces, a wide range of colors.
2. "Merry". Low price and variety of colors. But with the variability in the choice of the width of the fence, the maximum height of the fence is 15 cm.
3. Novovolzhsky Plant. Possibility to choose a suitable height and several color options. Moreover, the width is only 50 cm.
4. "New summer residents". Reasonable price, various size options, several color options and a guaranteed service life of up to 30 years. But at the same time, the shape of the frame is only rectangular.

Diy galvanized beds

If you managed to purchase galvanized steel, then the matter remains with the assembly technology. So that the final version does not disappoint, you need to follow the detailed diagram.

Simple beds

The workflow looks like this:

1. Make a markup and dig 4 boards into the ground in a strictly vertical position along it.
2. Nail the wooden frames made of planks to the upper and lower supports.
3. Fix the metal breaks on the structure and cut them out. You need to cut the material with the help of electric shears.
4. Fasten the metal parts with bolted connections with a small indent from the edges of the frame.

If it was not possible to find galvanizing with a polymer coating, then you can replace it with powder paint.

Garden beds in the form of gabions

Stone fences are reliable and have an excellent appearance. Gabions also look very impressive, but they are easier to assemble and not so expensive in material terms. According to the technology, a metal mesh frame is simply filled with coarse stones or other material.

Step by step process:

1. Clean and level the location of the garden bed.
2. Installation of racks. A pillar with flanges at the bottom is used as a rack. The diameter of the rod should be from 0.8 to 1 cm. Install 8 supports, which form two rectangles - the outer one is larger and the inner one is smaller. The fixing of the racks should be as rigid as possible.
3. The grating is constructed from galvanized mesh or galvanized rod with a diameter of about 0.5 cm. The size of the cell is selected according to the size of the material to be used for filling. It should not be small, so as not to fall out, and large, so as not to form voids.
4. For heavy coarse bulk material, stiffeners will be needed.

The result is two mesh boxes filled with stones or bricks. The base for the gabion can also be purchased.

How to decorate the beds

Colored fences of different shapes can themselves streamline and decorate the garden. And simple steel-colored borders will look spectacular in a minimalist high-tech landscape. But there are options for those who want to make the atmosphere even more comfortable and attractive.

Decoration of frames with multi-colored spunbond. If the general nature of the landscape is in a romantic style, then covering fiber can be used to give the structure some softness and airiness. A white coating is ideal, which will not only add brightness to the area, but also protect the garden from excessive overheating. White spunbond is capable of reflecting the sun's rays.

If the garden is in a shaded area, then you can use a canvas of any shade to decorate compositions from wood and flower beds.

A general rustic or Provencal style can be decorated with climbing plants such as vines. Gabions decorated with climbing roses or grapes will look beautiful. However, the plant for decoration must be chosen so that it does not oppress the crops grown in the garden.

You can decorate the designs according to your taste and desire, based on material possibilities. Or you can leave them unadorned, because the best decoration is healthy plants and beautiful fruits.

If you dream of a bountiful harvest and are not constrained in funds, then be sure to equip a couple of "warm" beds with a galvanized frame. We are confident that your material and labor costs will pay off in full.